Trailer hitch



Feb 5, 194 66 F. N. ROTH 2,394,207

TRAILER HITCH Filed Dec. 29, .1944 Jay 5 p I l 7 /-22 I I l 2 5 2s II I 4! I 2 I 25 5 2 Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAILER HITCH Fremont N. Roth, Twin Falls, Idaho Application December 29, 1944, Serial No. 570,332

3 Claims.

This invention relates t highway vehicles and more particularly to towing couplers for pivotally connecting an automobile to a trailer.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new trailer hitch so constructed and the parts thereof so cooperatively arranged that the shock caused by sudden acceleration and topping is cushioned for eliminating strain on the trailer and jerking motions applied to occupants without interfering with a freedom of horizontal and. vertical motions of the one vehicle with respect to the other, said hitch being also adapted to support the front end of a four-wheeled trailer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trailer hitch having guard-chains for preventing a loss of a coupling-pin and clasp employed.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of the new trailer hitch, certain portions thereof being broken away and others being represented partially by means of dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed View of a clasp employed, certain portions thereof showing in section.

Most trailer hitches now in use permit an abrupt and violent jarring of the trailer and the automobile pulling the said trailer at times when it becomes necessary to suddenly start or stop. This impact causes a severe strain on the automobile bumper and its connections as well as other parts of the automobile and trailer frames. The frequent repetitions of these shocks often strip the threads of bolts securing the automobile bumper to the automobile frame, often weakening a bumper beyond further use for the strenuous purpose of trailer hauling.

Sudden uncushioned jolts render an automobile much more difficult to control and greatly increase the dangers of loose gravel roads, icy streets and poor visibility. In addition, the nervous taxation caused thereby is very fatiguing and considerably lessens the rapidity of a drivers mental decisions and muscular reactions.

A trailer and an automobile, not shown, are generally indicated at l and II respectively. The rear horizontally disposed bumper bar of the automobile is indicated%t l2. As is well known, said bumper bars are usually of arcuate contour and in longitudinal plan and also have curved characteristics in cross section. The bar I2 is attached to the hitch by means of a filler block l3, shaped of the hitch and parts to conform to the curvature in said automobile bumper. The block I3 is secured to the bar l2 by any suitable means such as bolts or welding, not shown.

A supporting member M is welded to the block [3. In instances where the bumper bar l2 has a fiat rear vertically disposed surface, the block I3 is not employed. The member I4 is substantially C-shaped in side elevation, as shown in Figure 1. The upper and lower arms of the member I4 have aligned apertures which receive the rotatable shaft or king-pin l5 of the new device. A sleeve l6 of annular cross section receives the king-pin IS in its bore and the ends of the sleeve bear against the flanges or arms of the supporting member [5. A cotter-pin or coupler ll is thrust through aligned apertures of the members l5 and I 6 for holding them together in a manner whereby they may be readily detached at desired times by removing the cotter-pin l7 and since, during use, there is approximately no strain applied to the cotter-pin, a medium sized cotter-pin is ample for said purpose.

The sleeve l6 and pin I! prevent a disengage ment of the king-pin l5 and its supporting member l4 during use and permit horizontal turning movements of the automobile with respect to the trailer. The arms of the member M are spaced apart in appreciable distance whereby they provide a long bearing for the rotatable king-pin IS.

The medial portion of an elongated bar I 8 is welded to the upper end of the king-pin l5 and, in use, the member I 8 rests upon the upper arm of the member I4. The bar I8 is provided with upstanding ears I 9 and 29 at its respective ends. The ears are provided with apertures and receive a coupling-pin 22. through the tubular head 2| of the T-shaped shaft 30 of the shock absorbing mechanism.

An end link of a chain 23 is attached to a clevis 24. The clevis has a coupler-pin 24 and the latter extends through an adjacent end of the couplingpin 22, as shown in Figure 2. The other end of the chain 23 is welded to the towing-tongue 25, whereby at times when the pin 22 is removed, it does not become lost with respect to the device as a whole. The rear end of the tongue 25 may be shaped in side elevation as shown and attached to the trailer by bolts or the like, not shown.

The clasp of the device is generally indicated at 21 in Figure 3 and includes a platform 4| having two apertures for respectively receiving therethrough, during use, the legs of a C-shaped hasp or coupler 21'.

In use, the shorter leg of the hasp 27' is dis- The pin 22 also extends posed through the aperture 216 at one end of the coupling-pin 22 for preventing sliding movements and a detachment of the pin 22 from the tubular head 2|.

The clasp 21, in use, is attached to a chain 28 and the rear end of the chain 28 is welded to the trailer-tongue 25, as shown in Figure 1. The forward end of the shock absorber shaft 30 is disposed at a right angle to the tubular head 2| and said parts are rigidly welded together. The shaft an 'isislidably :Edispose'd 'throughibearingblocks'*3l and 32 which arefwelded' se'curely "to the towing-tongue 25 of the trailer.

A detent collar 33 is disposed around the shaft 30 and is welded thereto. A collar is preferably employed for providing an even abutment for the adjacent ends of compressible steel springs 34 and 35 during sliding movements of: the shaft-:30 since said springs are disposed between the flanges 3| and 32' of the bearing blocks 3i (and .32v respectively and -at opposite .sides-of the collari33.

..It will .be .seen thatlithere is side-wiserotation permitted since the shaft l is rotatablefinl its bearings .forpermitting turning movements of .the automobile with respect to the. trailer; that vertical swinging movements oflthe' trailer with respectto the automobile are permittedsince the 'Ssleeve or tubular headZlmay turnonithe cou- .iplingepinl22 ifor accommodating 'travelupon bllmpy.l'08.dS and the like ,andlthat an absorption warmer-and. jars' is attained incident 'toStopbing 1-.-and..starting..and resultant. from. .applicationof brakes since the sprin 34,.cushions shocks-applied '.-in.one direction and the springI35 absorbas'hocks -;an'd,jerks applied in an .opposite direction. At '.times when it is ldesired .to .uncouple the trailer, the arm' 2-l' of the .claspZ'21 is lifted irom-its aperture '40 of the platform BI .and against therurge .of.the spring 43 Whereuponthe arm .21 is moved ..sidewise of .-thej platform 4| .until .the armf2l -.be..freed from .the. eoupling pin .22 lion-removal of the latter from the tubular member; I While ,drivingzhowever, the arm-21' of the .clasp is-securely held implace by the-spring 43, as. shown win figure :3, which=bearsagainst and betweenithe Qplattorm 41 at its dipper aend arid againsttan :abutmentfl, thelatter being welded to the .lovve'er ,end of thelonger leg ofthehaspil'.

To prevent the spring-4-3irom :becoming rusted or the likera protecting .cuporguardM .is: provided. The cup is disposed-. about-.thaspring 43, having itssrim welded to the platform Al on the .under sidepf'the latter.

pivotal motion in both the vertical andhorizontal plans is provided and is andmportant apart-of .the invention. .=A pivoting of thehitc-h -=isnecessar for'turning corners-and for parking;

while a rotation in the verticalplane is indispenstable for accomplishing the sbend-ing-okthe autoe-mobile -trailer caravan at -.-the points- :of connectionof the said automobile .and -.-trailer wit-hout 'z-straining that "connection con a: roadway having anpnevensurface.

Further advantages of this inventionare the incorporation of safety-chains, as shown at 23 and 28, which preclude loss of the removable parts and the possibility of dangerous accidents arising from a substitution of common bolts or 5 the like for the steel pins of the new device.

It will also be seen that a convenient means is provided to couple and uncouple the automobile from the trailer by merely releasing the arm 21 of the hasp which thereby frees the coupling-pin v 22 and permits the latter to be withdrawn from iitheiiears t9 and otisthe-elongated bar l8.

*It' willbe obvious thatmy invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof ry-and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown ..in.carrying out my l-invention in practice, except as claimed. l claim:

1. A trailer hitch comprising a mounting adapted to be attached to a"horizontally disposed automobile bump'er; alkin'g-pin pivotally dis- .posed through said mounting at substantially a right .angle to'said bumper; a bar having vertica'lly disposed ears secured to the upper'end of said pm, said ears being provided with apertures;

a coupling-pin disposed through said apertures, .a tubular member having a shaft attached at go substantially a right angle thereto; said member beingfdisposed aroundsa'id coupling-pin; a towlug-tongue for saidtrailer; spaced apart hearing "blocks-on said tongue; saidvshaft being slidably "disposed through saidbeariing blocks and having apollar secured thereto, said collar beingbetween said blocks; springs disposed about'said shaft 'between saidicollar arid said blocks; means for. preventing an. accidental detachment ofsaid coupling-pin with respect to said tubular head, and .40 means for preventing a detachment ofsaid'king- .pin withrespect to said mounting.

'I'ZIThe construction described in claim 1 in which .the preventing means includes a. :clasp releasably secured to'one end of the coupling-pin thereof anda clevis at the other end'of said coupling-pin. 7

.3,' A trailer hitch comprising a mounting adapted to be attached tea" horizontally disposed automobile bumper, said mounting havinghoriv zontally disposed spaced-apart arms; .a king-pin pi-votally disposedthrough said armsand having v anelongated bar secure'd toone end thereof; a

sleeve-disposed about said king-pin between said -.arms; means r for securing said-king-pin and 'sleevetogetherpa shaft; a pivotalconnection between said=shaftand said king-pin; 'a towingtongue .for the trailer; spaced-apart bearing- --b1ocks-.on;the-tongue, said shaft-being slidably disposed with respectto said blocks; a collaron -.60 said shaft between said blocks; and resilient means onsaidshaft-between-said blocks-arranged to cooperate with-said blocks and collar-for -absorbing- 'shocks applied to -said-shaft in--two-- dierections.-

FREMONT name. 

